U.N. council votes to require Syria to destroy chemical weapons

Sep. 28, 2013
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Secretary of State John Kerry votes to approve a resolution that will require Syria to give up its chemical weapons during a Security Council meeting at U.N. headquarters. / Mary Altaffer, AP

by Edith M. Lederer and Matthew Lee, Associated Press

by Edith M. Lederer and Matthew Lee, Associated Press

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The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously late Friday to require Syria to eliminate its arsenal of chemical weapons, according to media reports.

Members of the council met shortly after another international group voted to fast-track Syria's addition to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which bans such weapons, according to CNN. The Guardian reported that Syria would have until November to destroy all of its chemical weapons stockpile.

"We now have a legal mandate to start a verification mission in Syria," said group spokesman Michael Luhan.

President Obama, speaking before the votes, said he was "very hopeful" about the developments, but warned much work remains to be done.

"I think, rightly, people have been concerned about whether Syria will follow through on the commitments that have been laid forth and I think there are legitimate concerns as to how technically we are going to be getting those chemical weapons out while there's still fighting going on the ground," Obama said.

The proposed U.N. resolution would "require the destruction of a category of weapons that the Syrian government has used ruthlessly and repeatedly against its own people. And this resolution will make clear that there are going to be consequences for noncompliance," said Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Power described the move as significant, as it represented the first time since the start of Syria's civil war that the Security Council would impose binding obligations on the country.

The resolution did not authorize the automatic use of force if Syria is said to be in violation, as was previously sought by the United States, CNN reported.

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